Rotary current-breaker.



n. nmmm. ROTARY mm: APPLICATIOI FILED BRIT. 4, 1008.

Patented Feb. 1,1910.

HERMANN RUTHARDT, OF STUTTGART, GERMiANY.

ROTARY CURRENT-BREAKER.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1, 1910.

Application filed September 4, 190 8. Serial Ito.- 451,748;

To all whom it may concern:

-Be it known that I,HERM NNIR THARDT,

- a subject ofthe German Emperor, residing at Stuttgart, Germany, have invented acertain new and useful ImprovedRotary Current-Breaker, of which the following.v is a specification. T

"This invention relates to a rotary current breaker for use with magneto-ele'ptric igniting apparatus, in which it serve'ithe known purpose of interrupting the currfii'tsin the armature Winding--previously completed or made by the breaker.thereby setting .up,

by self-induction, a current of such high tension that a spark'adapted for igniting a gaseous mixture, can be formed between the ends-of a suitable sparking plug. 7

In high speed rotary breakers it is very important that the parts by meansof which the breaking of the current is effected should not "be subjected to any injurious friction that would necessitate lubricating, and that the apparatus should be constructed in such a manner as to work as noiselessly as possi-" .ble, because the life of the movlng partsiwill be thus increased. r

In breakers with rockinglevers, the pivots wear out in a comparatively short time, because lubrication can only be effected while the apparatus is at rest; and for the same reason. theapparatus cannot work without noise. Other forms of apparatus again,'in which an attempt is made to dispense with lubrication by the usefofknife-edge bearings, arev attended with the drawback that the knife edges are injured by the sparks formed when the current is broken. These and slnnlar defects are avoided according to the present invention, one form of which is the accompanying drawing in set out in which I Figure 1 is a section of the breaker, taken through the case, which carries the strikers or lugs and which case though fixed in operation is capable of rotation in the usual way for the pur ose of advancing or retarding the spark. ig.-2 is another View to'show I the symmetrical arrangement of the apparatus illustrated by its position when turned over around the axial line -AB, in which I case it is best adapted for motion in the opposite direction.

The current breaking part shown consists of a roller a, which loosely surrounds a pin 9 and which roller is arranged between an inclined plane I), b and a spring d carrying a contact Stud 0. The plane b,- bis formed by the edge'of a bar 'bflsecured to the central Under. the inrotatable part. was at 1'. fluence of the'spring d (which is also attached to the part w, or through a screw 8- toa lug d on same) and the'centrifugal force, the roller a, which follows the movement of rotation. of the part 20 of the breaker, tends usually to assume a constant extreme position, which effort is interrupted, at each I'"Ollltl0l1 by contact with a lug e arranged inside the case f which is'as stated fixed in operation, though itis niovable for adjustment as usual. The-bar b carries a contact post or stud c in contact with the Stud 0. By the rolling inward of the roller along the inclined plane I), b, the spring (1, israised so that the contact between 0 and c is broken, and the requisite powerful induction current for ignitionis set up in the armature. On passing away from the lug, the roller returns automatically to its constant or normal position, and thereby the circuit between 0' and c is remade without noise. I

There is a considerable free'space left between the pin 9 and roller a as shown and thus serves for preventing axial movements and for limitingthe' constant extreme position, so that no injurious friction can be generated anywhere and lubrication is rendered superfluous. Vhen the roller is in its extreme'outwardnormal position as attained byfthe centrifugal force, but which position is not shown, a certain amount of space will be left-between the spring-and the periphery of the roller so that no injurious movementof or action on the spring contact will take place.

From the foregoing it .is evident that, owing to theabsence of any injurious friction, the apparatus can be worked without any lubrication; andthis' is the more important because in lubrication, oil'gcts onto the contacts, .a condition that should be prevented, as it gives rise to trouble 111 working.

The arrangement of the roller also results in another advantage in respect of uniformity of nanufactura Although the roller able to work when the breaker, or armature, is running in eitherdirectiom the direction of rotation indicated by the arrow 00 is preferable, since the roller runs on the inclined plane in a theoretically correct manoffers valuable advantages enabling production to be simplified and cheapened.

hat I claim is 1. In a current breaker, and 111 combinavtion two parts, one of which is capable of rotation, a roller, and a part having an inclined plane carried by the rotatable part, a spring carrying a contact also carried by said part, and between a partof which spring and the inclined plane the roller can roll, a second contact carried by therotatable part, and a lug carried by the other part and adapted to project into the normal path of the roller.

2. In a current breaker, and in combination, an inner part capable of rotation, a roller, and a part having an inclined plane carried by he rotatable part, a spring carrying a contact also carried by said part, and between a partof which spring and the indue to centrifugal action to be free of: the contactspring. I

' 3. In a current breaker, and in combination an inner part capable of rotation, a loose roller, and a pin carried by said inner part and'adapted to limit the movement of said roller, a part having an inclined plane carried by the rotatable part, a spring carrying a contact also carried by'said part, and between a part of .which spring and the in cliiied plane the roller can roll, a second contact carried bythe rotatable part, an outer.

part in the form of a ring surrounding the inner part, and-a lug carried by said outer part, and adapted to project into the normal path (it the roller.

4. In a current'breaker, and in combination, an inner and outer part concentrically arranged, the inner being capable of rotation, a roller, and a bar having an inclined carrying a contact also carried by said part and between a part of which spring and the inclined plane the roller can roll, a second contact carried by the rotatable part, a part of such inclined plane and the spring being located on one side of an axial line central of the device, and a lug carried by the outer part and adapted to project into the normal path of the roller.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set plane carried by the inner part, a spring my hand in the presence oft two subscribing clined plane the roller can roll, a second conwitnesses.

tact carried by the rotatable part, an outer HEPMANW RUTHARDT part in the form of a ring surrounding the M 1 l inner; and a lug carried by said outer part, Witnesses:

the distance of said outer part from the inner allowing the roller while in its normal path PAUL WILHELM FUNCK, MINA REPPEL. 

